This invention relates generally to door assemblies for appliances, and more specifically to dishwasher door assemblies.
Known dishwasher door assemblies typically include an escutcheon therein for providing support for control panel components. Typically, the escutcheon is separately molded from a plastic material and is attached to an upper portion of the door assembly above an outer door panel and generally flush with an outer surface of the door panel. Control buttons, knobs, displays etc. extend through the escutcheon for user manipulation to select and execute desired dishwasher features. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,586.
In some dishwasher doors, however, the escutcheon can disadvantage the door assembly in several respects. For example, attaching a plastic escutcheon to the top of a door panel can compromise the structural rigidity of the door assembly, i.e., reduce stiffness of the door. The reduced stiffness can frustrate proper door alignment with a latch assembly and undesirably increase a required force to latch the door for dishwasher operation. In addition, plastic surfaces of the escutcheon are vulnerable to stains and are difficult to clean due to textured surfaces of the escutcheon that tend to trap dust, dirt and sediment therein. Still further, the escutcheon tends to complicate the construction of the door assembly, which accordingly increases manufacturing and assembly costs of the dishwasher.
At least for the reasons set forth above, consumers and dishwasher users would benefit from a dishwasher door construction that overcomes these disadvantages.